Leila shook her head.“Never.”
“It is hard on the joints to be sure, but I missed it on my journey east.”
“Will you tell me of your journey to the east?”
He granted her a sharp glance.“Only if you leave the window and trust in Fergus to keep his word,” he said gently.
“I do, but it seems so much could have happened...”
“Or perhaps nothing more than a swollen river requiring them to take a longer route.Come down to the fire, Lady Leila, and I will tell you a tale.”
She could not refuse his invitation and locked the door to the solar behind them.She took his elbow, ensuring that he did not slip on the stairs, and smiled to see that Iain had anticipated them.Two chairs were together in one corner, two braziers facing them with fires blazing in each.Leila felt pampered that so much resource should be expended on her behalf and she thanked the steward.
“I seldom speak of Outremer,” Calum said as he lowered himself into one chair.“Fergus knows, of course, but I doubt he thought it of interest to you.”He patted the seat opposite him.“Come and let me tell you what I remember of your homeland, then you can tell me what has changed.”
“I doubt that some matters have changed at all,” Leila said.There was a fur pelt on the chair and she nestled into it, welcoming its soft thickness.Fergus’ father beckoned and Iain brought two more silver pelts, one for each of them.Fergus’ father tucked his over his knees and sighed contentment.“A cup of mulled wine and I will feel most indulged,” he said, granting a glance to the steward.
“There is only a small measure left in that cask, my lord.”
“And time it is that we enjoyed it.”Fergus’ father waved and Iain bowed, then retreated to do his bidding.
Leila smiled as she tucked the pelt over her lap and found herself warming.
“Better?”he asked and she nodded.
“I thank you, sir.”
“Sir?You will call me Calum.”
“But...”
“My hall, my rules,” he said firmly.His blue eyes glinted with humor even though his manner was gruff.
Leila could not take offense, not when his eyes sparkled so.“And so it shall be, Calum,” she said and he smiled.“When were you in Palestine?”
“Just over twenty years ago.We answered the call, like so many others.”
“We?”
“My oldest and dearest comrade, Alasdair Campbell.Our mothers were sisters and we were of an age with each other.”His brows waggled.“We found trouble together, to be sure.”
Leila smiled.“Like me and my cousin, but my mother was the sister of her father.”
“Ah, much the same.And so it was that when Alasdair heard the summons to defend Jerusalem, he was determined to answer the call.”Calum frowned.“I was wedded already and had one son.”
“Fergus.”
He nodded.“I was less inclined to journey so far, but Alasdair’s betrothed had died of a fever before their nuptials were celebrated.I fear he blamed himself for her demise.”
“But why?”
“He thought a man should love the woman he would wed, just as I loved my Eileen.”
“And he did not love his betrothed?”
Calum shook his head.“She was the daughter of a powerful clansman and their marriage was to make an alliance.And to be sure, Nyssa was not the easiest woman to admire.She was prone to bouts of anger and would say much when she was riled.Alasdair is a temperate man, one who says little but means all he does say.Their match might have been good for an alliance, but their natures could not have been more different.And so it was that he felt guilt when she fell ill and died, and blamed himself for not loving her more.”
“Perhaps she should have loved him more,” Leila suggested.“And learned from his manner.”
